Page 26 of Wulf's Pack
Skylar steps forward, but I push in front of her, stopping her from getting closer. “Wulf,” she murmurs, but I don’t budge. She can calm him from here.
She sighs and then fills the room with pheromones so potent I nearly choke on them. I calm down to the point of becoming lethargic. I try to shake off the feeling, but I can’t fight it. I whimper and lie down at Skylar’s feet. She kneels and buries her face in my neck. I whine again. “I know, Wulf,” she says. “I’m sorry, but I need to do this in order to help this man. I can feel his human side. These people are right. He is still in there.”
I whine again, and when Skylar inches on her hands and knees toward the wolf in the cage, I crawl with her. Preston has calmed as well. He’s standing still, watching Skylar’s every move. She lifts her hand toward the cage, and I let out an unhappy bark. “It’s okay, Wulf,” she murmurs, petting my fur and scratching behind my ears. The move has me lying on my belly, placing my head on my paws. I’m completely at her mercy.
“Preston,” she says softly.
The wolf in the cage cocks his head to the side, curious but cautious.
“I know you’re in there. I can feel you. You need to come out now. Sophia and your parents miss you.”
The wolf continues to watch her, but he plops his butt down and sits, as if waiting. Skylar pets me again. “I need to touch him, Wulf.”
I growl softly, but I can’t seem to really fight her. “Shh,” she says, petting my head again. “I know you don’t like it, but it’s all right. I’m safe. Preston’s wolf is listening to me. He can feel his human responding to me. He wants to let him out. I need to touch him. He needs to feel a physical connection in order for me to pull him safely out.”
I hate this, but I trust her. She was right about Carl, and she’s 100 percent certain right now. I can’t detect a hint of nerves coming from her. Nor can I feel any aggression from Preston. He’s cooperating.
I can’t shift back, but I rub my head against Skylar’s side and give her hand a lick. It’s the most she’s going to get from me right now. She smiles at me, and longing fills my heart. My wolf surges forward, needing the comfort of his mate. “Trust me?” she asks.
I nod, and she rubs my head again. I close my eyes at the feel of her delicate touch. She continues petting me while she says, “Open the cage.”
Sophia slowly does as asked. She opens the cage door, and the urge to jump forward to protect Skylar from the feral wolf is strong, but I resist. The wolf isn’t attacking.
Keeping one hand on me, Skylar holds out her other to Preston. “Will you come?” she asks him.
He watches her a moment longer, then slowly steps from the cage. If he wasn’t so calm, I’d lose my shit when he approaches her, but he’s not acting the least bit aggressive. He walks over to Skylar and presses his nose to her lifted hand. She smiles at him and starts to rub his snout. Again, like with Carl, I should be jealous, but all I feel is a sense of pride in my mate.
“Preston,” Skylar calls softly. “I know you’re in there. I can feel you. Reach out with your mind. You will feel me.” Skylar leans forward and presses her forehead to the wolf’s. Both woman and beast close their eyes. “That’s it,” Skylar murmurs. “Feel the connection. Follow it. Come to me.”
The entire room seems to take a collective breath, feeling the magic at work. And then, a miracle happens. Preston shifts. He looks confused and scared. His family cries out, and moves to converge on him, but Skylar holds up a hand. “Give him a moment. It’s very disorienting at first, and he needs to solidify his connection to his human.”
The family all freezes. Husband and wife cling to each other, and his mate sits beside the cage, weeping. Preston doesn’t look at them yet. His gaze is locked on Skylar. She runs her fingers through his hair, and he falls face-first into her lap. “Shhh,” she croons. “You’re all right. You’re back now. I know it’s overwhelming, but you will adjust in a few minutes. Trust yourself. Trust your wolf. He doesn’t want to take over right now. He’s happy to have you back. He didn’t feel whole with you locked away.”
Preston takes a deep, shuddering breath and nuzzles his face in Skylar’s stomach the way a wolf would. She lets go of me totake Preston’s face in both her hands. She lifts him up so he’s kneeling in front of her. “You’re human, Preston. Feel your body. Your fingers, your toes. Think in words, not just instinct. What is your name?” she asks.
She waits patiently, still holding his face. “What is your name?”
He blinks at her, then rasps, “Preston.” His voice is rough from disuse. “I’m Preston Keller.”
“And your mate?” Skylar asks.
He blinks a few more times, then turns to his mate. “Sophia,” he breathes. He looks at his mate as if she’s an angel, and then they fall into each other’s arms.
Their reunion is a joyous one, with tears and kisses on both sides. Skylar smiles at them, then looks down at me. She scratches my ears again. “He’s good now. It’s over. Thank you for trusting me.”
She pulls back on her pheromones, and both Matthew and Elise fall on Preston and Sophia. The crying and hugs increase as the family reunites after a long, torturous few years. It’s a beautiful sight, and it’s because of my mate. Pride swells in me. My mate is the most amazing creature I’ve ever met. The good she can do for so many shifters is unfathomable. She’s so selfless and pure. I’ve never believed in love at first sight, but I can’t deny the feelings growing in me for this woman. My wolf’s instincts are drowning me, but it’s not just his influence that has me so enamored. I, myself, am as drawn to her as he is.
I step into Skylar’s personal space and push my head into her chest, nuzzling her the same way Preston had just done. I’m a little too enthusiastic and almost knock her over. She laughs and looks down at me with a smile so big it crinkles the corners of her eyes. “You can shift back now,” she says, stroking my head. “I promise he’s no threat anymore.”
I know the threat is gone, but when I go to shift back, my wolf doesn’t want to. I don’t understand what his problem is until he turns our attention back to the family of wolves. He wants them. It’s the same as yesterday in the club with the rogues. My wolf wants to claim these people as his. Only this time the urge is stronger because these are not spineless wolves who showed no honor. This family chose banishment from their pack to stay together as a family. That shows love and loyalty for each other. They need my help. My protection.
My body starts to shake. I don’t understand what’s happening to me. Why is my wolf so determined to start building a pack? I growl at my wolf.No.
His answer is just as stubborn.Pack.
We have a clan.
Mate needs pack.
